The Saskatoon Hilltops have won 13 Canadian junior football
championships, but their home -- the venerable Gordie Howe Bowl --
won't win any beauty contests.

The Saskatoon Hilltops have won 13 Canadian junior football championships, but their home -- the venerable Gordie Howe Bowl -- won't win any beauty contests.

"There's not very much to like about Gordie Howe Bowl," Regina Rams coach Frank McCrystal once said. "The field surface is no good, the lighting's no good, the dressing rooms are no good. You guys in Saskatoon should all throw a buck in and see if they can fix something."

All of McCrystal's criticisms might soon be addressed through a $30-million facelift.

The Gordie Howe Bowl master plan would see artificial turf installed, along with an eight-lane running track, a throws and jumps area and total bleacher seating of about 6,500. The upgraded field would meet CFL standards for football and international standards for soccer.

On Tuesday, city council will vote whether to approve Phase 1 of the three-stage plan. The initial upgrade, worth $12.4 million, would cover field installation, perimeter fencing and a stand-alone building to accommodate change rooms, washrooms and a concession.

The City of Saskatoon's share of the $12.4-million bill would be $2.9 million. The balance would be covered by the federal government's Building Canada Fund ($4.1 million), corporate sponsorship ($1.4 million) and an admission levy ($4 million).

"Gordie Howe Bowl doesn't owe us a cent," Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Friday. "It's been a great facility for so many years. But if you look at the grass, it's always worn out at the end of the year because there's so many games. If you go to that FieldTurf, you save on upkeep, and you make it a safer, better place and the talent will rise to the surface."

The playing surface is not the only concern. Cramped dressing rooms have long been a bane for visiting teams.

"A lot of teams will change on the bus, so it's a real inconvenience," said Sargeant. "We sort of love that, but when we go somewhere else, we're in pretty outstanding facilities."

If approved, the plan would also breathe new life into the local track and field scene. The surface of the track at Griffiths Stadium, across from the university, has deteriorated to the point where nationally sanctioned events can no longer be held there. The area for throwing events, at the south end of the track, was also adversely affected by 2006 renovations to what is now known as PotashCorp Park.

"From when they were driving the bulldozers across, (the throwing venue) is no longer a level surface," said Jason Reindl, head coach of the Saskatoon Track and Field Club.

"If someone throws in one spot, they throw into a lull and they can actually benefit from it."

In April, the city hired Athletica Sport and Recreation Design Inc. to create a master plan for Gordie Howe Bowl. The process included consultations with potential user groups. About two weeks ago, Athletica unveiled its plan to the key stakeholders.

"We got to see the blueprints and the phases and the timelines," said Reindl. "It looked amazing -- as much as an overhead screenshot can. In terms of upgrades and track set-up, it's going to be quite the facility by the end of the three phases."

If the plan goes ahead, the Hilltops would likely have to find a temporary home for the 2009 Prairie Football Conference season. Griffiths is the logical choice, but the junior team would have to reach an agreement with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

"You look at all of these great places like Yankee Stadium," said Sargeant. "Well, they're ending now and there's a reason for that. We need a better surface, updated dressing rooms and better seating for our fans.

"We need everything to be modernized and I don't think anyone could or should disagree with that."

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